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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172505">Once Upon A Roleplay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevermoreQ/pseuds/NevermoreQ'>NevermoreQ</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>American Gods (TV), Lost Girl (TV), Once Upon a Time (TV), Wynonna Earp (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fantasy, Once Upon A Time</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:47:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,243</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NevermoreQ/pseuds/NevermoreQ</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of excerpts from our Once Upon A Time roleplay chat. It's heavily based on canon, but with its own unique twists and new characters. The chapters are bits and pieces featuring myself and various authors. We hope you enjoy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Vex Meets Mr. Gold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>In this first chapter, Vex the Mesmer character from Lost Girl has recently arrived in Storybrooke. The setting is around the middle of Season Five of Once Upon A Time. Rumplestiltskin is still secretly the Dark One, unbeknownst to anyone except Emma Swan. Vex pays a visit to Mr. Gold's pawnshop.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter One</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Vex Meets Mr. Gold</b>
</p><p>When he first arrived at Storybrooke, Vex was optimistic. This would be a fresh start for him-- no Una Mens, no Morrigan, no <em> Fae </em> at all. No longer would he have to serve another. No longer would he have to constantly look over his shoulder for the Una Mens. The world was his oyster… well, the whole tiny town in Maine was his oyster. Things could be a lot worse. After a week or two, he was still optimistic, yet he had hoped to have gotten his own place. Granny’s wasn’t the worst place he had stayed--not by far-- but the whole cheeriness of the place was starting to get to him. He had his eyes on a couple of properties, one to live and one for work, but he had yet to seal the deal on either of them. He was sure he could get the realtor to lower the price for him, especially given that new residents were rare so the market for real estate was… slow…. to say the least. In addition to his quest for property, he had also taken to patronizing the local haunt, learning a bit about the town. He heard the name <em> Mr. Gold </em> quite a few times while eavesdropping, along with some other well-known residents, and the next time he passed near <em> Mr. Gold Pawnbroker and Antique Dealer </em>, he stopped in his tracks. It couldn’t hurt to look around.</p><p>Vex didn’t look like your average antiquer, but maybe someone wanting to get some quick cash through pawning stolen goods. He was wearing black jeans with studs down the side of the legs, an expensive-looking black button-down, a dark red leather jacket, and a pair of studded combat boots. His dark brown hair was allowed to curl slightly around his temples, and his eyes were accented by subtle eyeliner and mascara.  The man walked into the cluttered shop with a casual air, tracing his finger along the shelves as he passed, perusing the contents.</p><p> </p><p>The shop was small with a distinct historic atmosphere. It felt a little bit like stepping into the past. Old fashion electric lights, hung beside unused oil lanterns. The wall paper was old, 1940s style, and the old register at the counter looked to be about the same era. The floor was smooth and worn, but polished to a bright sheen on the cherry wood surface. There was the smell of oil, furniture polish, and dusky antiques. There were too many items to even take in at one time, things hanging from the ceiling, on the walls, in display cases, piled on upon shelves. It was cluttered and slightly chaotic, no sense of order or organization in the arrangement of the items. Pawn shops usually sported quite an unusual assortment, but this was even more remarkable than your average pawn shop. Different surfaces glinted in the low light, some were a bit dusty, others yellowed with age, so many colors, so many textures. It was intriguing, curious, and quaint, yet for some reason a dark presence lingered over the entire shop. Something uneasy, something slightly ominous. Perhaps it was the dim lighting, or maybe the silence, or the absence of anyone behind the counter. Maybe it was the strange collection of items people had given up or given away in exchange for some cash. Either way, the pair of puppets staring at Vex through empty wooden eyes, and the faint tinkling of the blue glass baby carousel hanging by the door, were quite off-putting.</p><p> </p><p>Vex carried himself in a way that utterly broadcasted an air of disrespect. Instead of making his way through the store, just looking at the items, he sauntered through the place, brushing the dust off his finger that he gained from a particularly strange-looking object. The scar that ringed his wrist was nasty and clear as day whenever his sleeve rode up from his touching of nearly everything, but there was nobody else there to see it. As Vex glanced around, his only company came in the form of a couple of extremely creepy dolls. For the most part, what he saw held no interest to him, but there were a few items that reminded him of centuries past and a few items that he didn’t recognize in the slightest that caught his fancy.  He stopped dead in his tracks when something silver and familiar caught his eye. <em> No, </em> he thought. <em> It couldn’t be </em> . The mesmer picked up the Siracon with disbelief, running his finger along the metal. The twin Siracon had been lost centuries ago, and yet…. <em> somehow </em> it had apparently made its way into Storybrooke of all places. Vex inspected the thing, watching the gauntlet part slide out along with the broadsword blade of the thing in response to his mental command to the weapon. Telepathy and all. This was certainly a Siracon.</p><p> </p><p>"All the things... in this shop...", a voice commented from the back, "...and you pick up..." A short, slim man stood in the doorway to the backroom, holding back the curtain draped over the door frame with one hand, while lifting a hand to gesture vaguely at Vex and his chosen item, "...<em> that </em> ." The man appeared to be about fifty years old, greying brown hair almost touching his shoulders. He was wearing a black suit, minus the jacket. His shirt was a dark purple, his vest black with a gold fob watch chain dangling from one pocket. He reached back inside the room for a moment, withdrawing a gold tipped cane that he apparently required as an aid to walk. He was the proprietor and owner of the shop for which it was named, <em> Mr. Gold </em> . Everything in this town was so curious, so quaint and picturesque. Even their names sounded unusually unique and coincidental almost like... a fairy tale. The man limped over to the counter in front of Vex and surveyed him with curious dark eyes. The heavy atmosphere that had been hanging over the shop, seemed to form in a cloud over its owner. "What exactly about <em> that </em>...", he pointed deliberately to the Siracon, "...would spark such interest?" It had laid in the shop for years untouched. No one had ever been interested in it before, no one had ever hardly noticed it before. Mr. Gold tilted his head to the side, watching Vex with a sly, yet faintly eager expression.</p><p> </p><p>Feeling the weight and the power that came from the Siracon was an interesting experience. Despite not using it against anyone, there was a noticeable buzz of magic coming from the thing. The Siracon had been outlawed and seized by the Council for being too powerful and dangerous, a deadly threat to all of Faekind in the wrong hands. Vex had experienced being on the other side of one of these weapons, and he certainly understood their power. Suddenly, he was aware of the sound of a man's voice, both from behind the counter. He looked up towards the sound, his dark brown eyes alighting on the small, middle-aged man that stood at the doorway. The stranger was respectably dressed, though a little on the boring side as Vex saw it. The mesmer watched the man make his way out of the back room and to the counter, using a cane to aid his walking. From some of the worst things he had heard about the man, he didn't expect the powerful Rumplestiltskin to look quite like that. Vex waited for him to finish his question, knowing full well that he did not want this man knowing where he hailed from if he could help it. "Just fancied it." he shrugged, letting the blade slide back in along with the metal plating over his hand and wrist, revealing the scar. "Where'd you ge’ it?" Vex questioned the man with a casual air, hoping to mask the urgency he felt about it.</p><p> </p><p>Rumplestiltskin leaned against the corner, resting one elbow on the surface, and holding his cane with his free hand. He made a face, and shrugged his shoulders, "So many things come into my possession in a number of ways...", he dismissed it with a shake of his head, "Eh-eh... I can't remember them all." The pawnbroker continued to study Vex, taking in his appearance and attire. "You know I don't believe we've met...", he placed a hand to his chest, indicating himself, "...I am Mr. Gold...", he said with a not very comforting smile. "From the way I first saw you handling that piece... I would have thought you were familiar with it.... Must just be a...", he lifted an idle hand in the air for a moment, "...natural knack." The light glinted on the large aqua ring he wore on his little finger, as Vex released the blade into the glove once more. Something caught the ex-Dark One's eye, and he lifted his cane, reaching across the counter and tugging down the cuff of Vex's jacket sleeve to expose the scar on his wrist. Rumplestiltskin clicked his tongue and shook his head, "...That is a nasty, nasty scar..." Surveying the fresh cut, noting it wrapped around the wrist, indicating it was severed or nearly severed. Rumplestiltskin glanced down at his own hand for a moment, remembering an incident of magic-restricting cuffs that resulted in suicide mixed with patricide. He removed his cane from Vex's arm, "So what is it?", he asked, pointing to the Siracon.</p><p> </p><p>Vex was less than enthused at the man's response to his question. He didn't buy that the information he sought just happened to slip the man's mind. No, Mr. Gold was more than likely intentionally leaving Vex in the dark. Any pawnbroker with his wares would keep a record of his transactions, and, at the very least, remember getting an extremely powerful Fae weapon from another realm. Yet, of course, Vex could not admit that he knew it was an extremely powerful Fae weapon without admitting he was Fae. The mesmer was used to stares, given the way he presented himself, but somehow this man's eyes seemed to go deeper. It was kind of creepy. "Vex." he replied simply. He could do without the smalltalk or letting this man finding out any more about him. It was becoming increasingly obvious that the man didn't believe the bullshit Vex was feeding him and wasn't content to just let him keep his secrets. "I'm a talented man." he agreed, flashing a smile. Now that it was clear that Mr. Gold knew he was lying no matter what, he might as well have fun with the lies. His fun was interrupted when Mr. Gold used his cane to push back Vex's sleeve and get a better look. Vex had been covering the thing with his sleeves for a reason, and he really didn't appreciate a stranger invading his space like that, even with a cane. "Yeah. Well, I've always been bollocks with a kitchen knife." he replied, as if that was a sufficient answer, as if a simple kitchen accident could rend his hand from his arm and reattaching it was a breeze. He pulled back his hand and rubbed at the scar thoughtfully. "How much for it?" he asked after a moment, holding up the Siracon.</p><p> </p><p>"Oooh... Kitchen cutlery can be quite hazardous.", he said with an amused chuckle, "Well...Vex...", he repeated thoughtfully, his eyes cutting to the side momentarily. "Well... it's just been sitting there on that shelf for...", he furrowed his brow, "...years.", he finished with a slight shrug. He laid his cane down on top of the counter, "Tell you what..", he said, placing both elbows atop the counter and leaning forward on it. "I'll make you a deal...", he said, his dark eyes glittering a bit. He only appeared to be in his mid-fifties, yet his dark brown eyes seemed to hold an ancient look not too different from those of elder Fae. "If you can tell me... <em> where </em> it's from... and what that place is like...", he said with a whimsical smile, "...you can have it.", he finished holding up an open palm in an invitation or offer. "What do you say? Do we have a deal...?", he lowered his head a bit, giving him a sideways glance.</p><p> </p><p>Vex appreciated that even though the man clearly didn't believe his falsehoods, he knew better than to call him out on them. When Vex told him lies about his wrist, it meant that Vex didn't want to say the real reason and wasn't going to even if Gold pressed him for it. The mesmer also really hoped that the man would play nice as far as the price for the Siracon. Vex was desperate to have the weapon in his possession, more to keep it from being used against him than to use it himself. The mesmer watched the man, carefully, noticing the gleam that entered the man's eye the moment he started proposing a deal. Rumplestiltskin, he remembered, was the fairytale character that would trick women into trading away their firstborns. It made sense that the guy got a kick out of this kind of thing. He wondered just what he'd have to be offered to sell Tally off to such a man. This price was significantly less steep, but Vex felt as if he had been backed into the corner nevertheless. He didn't want to reveal his homeland or his kind, yet he would have to if he wanted to get this weapon somewhere safe. Well played on Rumple's part. He weighed his options for a moment before sighing "Yeah, we go’ a deal. You're bloody nosy, ya know that?" he remarked. "This beau’y is from the Land of the Fae, a world very similar to this one, actually, other than the existence of its namesake, the Fae." he explained. "Though you already knew that, didn' ya? Just wanted to make me say it."</p><p> </p><p>Rumplestiltskin gave a little shrug, a smile on his face that revealed nothing but smugness. "I know this land...", he looked down at the handle of his cane, turning the handle in a circle. He looked up for a brief moment, "I've been there.", he said again with a sly and smug smile that was most definitely hiding something significant. "I don’t believe I've ever seen one of your kind leave your realm... You are the first I have met outside the Land of the Fae.", he commented with a slight nod. "What brings you to Storybrooke? What makes one of...", he raised an eyebrow, "...<em> your kind </em> venture out of your cozy little realm?", he asked, a slight coldness creeping into his voice. Fae were often a little too close to fairies for his taste. For all he knew, the one before him was some kind of fairy. "A deal is a deal...", he said straightening up a bit. "You may have the uh...", he inhaled softly, "... <em> Sirrrracon </em>....", he said with a flourish, "..but I don’t suppose you would be so inclined to tell me what type of Fae you are?"</p><p> </p><p>Vex was a bit irritated at having to reveal his knowledge of the Fae world, and by extension, reveal himself as Fae, yet he supposed they had both gotten what they wanted from the transaction. The Siracon was not something he could afford in hands other than his own, especially after all he had done to antagonize the Fae world before he left. No, he was safest with the Siracon--possibly the most dangerous weapon known to Fae--in his possession, even if it meant that this man knew of his origins. "Oh, you have. Don't suppose you came back with any souvenirs." he replied sarcastically, glancing at the Siracon meaningfully. Vex didn't like whatever was lurking behind that smug smile, nor did he like the smugness for that matter. Initially, ignoring Rumple's comments about Vex's <em> kind </em> , he nodded at the man as he told him the weapon was his, then he turned on his heel and started making his way out. He paused at the question about just what kind of Fae he was. Normally he was more than proud to say he was a mesmer. <em> The </em> Mesmer. The last and only. "You're assuming I'm Fae just because I know a bit about it." he pointed out, as if it was a risky assumption. "Could accuse you of the same."</p><p> </p><p>The man behind the counter reached up and straightened his tie a bit, a half smile gracing his face. "...Maybe I am.", he said with a chuckle rising in his throat. "...Have no fear, Fae... You can keep your precious secrets...", he said, averting his eyes to the gold handled cane once more. "Just keep in mind... you're not in your realm anymore...", he looked up with a steady gaze, "....you're in <em> mine </em>." The ex-Dark One spoke cordially, but with enough threat in his voice to get the point across. "And hopefully... all our interactions can be...", he spread out both his hands, "...as pleasant as this one."</p><p> </p><p>Vex hadn't missed the tone in which Rumple talked about the Fae. He clearly had ill-feelings towards them, though he couldn't imagine why. Vex thought he would have heard about someone like Rumple entering the Fae world like he claimed to have done, especially to seal such a valuable object. But he supposed that no other Fae had managed to pinpoint a culprit for the weapon's disappearance, so who was Vex to solve the crime of the century where others couldn't? Vex smirked at the threat, clearly not intimidated by it. "I'll jus’ have to make it mine, then, won’ I?" he shot back easily. "And I am expectin' we'll be seein' more of each other in the future, Gold." he told him, tucking the Siracon into his inside pocket and starting to walk out. "Till next time." he said, raising his left hand and waving casually as he opened the door and exited, Rumple's own hand following in a jerky replication. The mesmer didn't give up control as he passed from the store windows and out of sight on the sidewalk outside.</p><p> </p><p>Rumplestiltskin flinched for a moment, his eyes darting in confusion to his own hand, before he finally realized what had happened. His hand had flown up, palm out, fingers a bit limp. He frowned for a moment, and started to raise his other hand to seize the wrist of the raised hand. As Vex left the store, Mr. Gold continued to study his raised hand, grimacing for a moment. When he regained the use of it, he rubbed and massaged the wrist, eyes trailing back to the man walking outside. The bell above the door rang out softly, as the ex-Dark One pondered this new revelation with suspicious, yet intensely intrigued. This... required some thought. The possibilities, the potential. This was quite.. remarkable. It would prove useful to look into this visitor from the Land of the Fae. This Vex... Yes, he needed to think about this... Rumplestiltskin walked away from the counter, perfectly fine on two feet, leaving his cane behind. He walked to the back, looking down at a spinning wheel, and a basket full of spun gold. He always did do his best thinking while spinning.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Vex Meets Goldilocks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Goldilocks secretly follows the mysterious stranger who has just arrived in Storybrooke.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Goldilocks is an original character who works for Rumplestiltskin as his eyes and ears around town. She has been secretly watching Vex trying to figure out exactly who he is and where he is from. This is an excerpt of our roleplay in which Vex confronts her in an alley.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter Two</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Vex Meets Goldilocks</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was early afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. It was a crisp, chilly day with a clear blue sky and bright sun. The leaves were scattered and drifting in piles around the little town. Granny's Bed and Breakfast was in need of a new coat of paint. It loomed against the blue sky, grey and drab. Most of the occupants were out and about, having risen early, but one was still inside. He kept such late hours, and slept into late mornings or early afternoons. Goldilocks was cold and bored, watching the doorway from above. The golden-haired girl was seated on the roof of Granny's B&amp;B, her knees drawn up to her chest. The wind was whipping at her hair and tugging at her clothes. She wore a dark green flannel shirt under a denim jacket, and dark grey jeans paired with soft-soled tennis shoes. Her face was flushed from the cold, her cheeks pink, as she watched the front door, waiting for her target to appear. She stretched out one leg, and then the other, trying to keep from cramping up. This was not the most comfortable vantage point, but it had a great view of the rest of the town. She herself was a resident at Granny's B&amp;B, so she wasn't too worried about anyone spotting her. Anyone except the new stranger in black.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vex knew that he should switch to a reasonable sleeping schedule. Back as a nightclub owner, Vex had good reason for staying up late. He would spend long nights drinking and partying while he “oversaw his clubs”, crawling into bed in the wee hours of the morning and getting up after noon. That’s how he had lived for a while, and his sleeping schedule had yet to adjust to life without nightclubs. Vex ended up at the Rabbit Hole most nights, just people-watching and drinking. The previous night had been another late one, and this morning was equally late. He dragged himself out of bed, showered, dressed in black jeans, a ripped black t-shirt, and a studded leather jacket with black combat boots. He applied some basic eye makeup and styled his hair. His first stop would be Granny’s Diner for some mediocre coffee, and that’s what he was thinking about as he made his way outside, pulling the edges of his jacket around himself to ward off the chill and he strode across the sidewalk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goldilocks rested her head on her right upraised knee, watching the wind stir up leaves. She watched them land on one of the weird puddles and promptly get sucked beneath the surface. Her large golden hazel eyes seemed to narrow. Rumplestiltskin said the realms were collapsing, and the worlds were coming to an end. She wasn't sure she believed him, she didn't know who he was anymore. He wasn't the Dark One, and if he wasn't the Dark One, who was he? And if he wasn't who </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>was, then who was she? Overall, she was feeling a bit lost. Why was she even out here? Doing his bidding, just like before? Just as she had all her life–the front door opened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goldi sat up, her eyes bright with interest. There he was. Tall, lanky, sleek and slender, stalking down the street. Goldilocks climbed to the edge of the roof, jumping to the limb of an oak tree. Her gloved hands caught it and swung down to land on the grass. She landed from a considerable drop, but rolled with it, leaping to her feet with dried leaves sticking to her back. Silently and swiftly, she kept behind the tall pines, all the branches still bright and green despite autumn being in full swing. She ducked down through branches, watching the retreating figure of the black-clad man. When he rounded the corner, Goldi stepped out and started across the street after him. She walked slowly, and casually, looking up at the sky and the buildings around her. Her shoes scuffed the pavement a bit, as she rounded a puddle and kicked at some gravel. She kept up the nonchalant manner, as she rounded the brick corner, heading down main street, her eyes searching for the strange man's figure.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vex didn't understand why the "Breakfast" part of the Bed and Breakfast had to be separate from the "Bed" portion of the place, nor why she ended the free breakfast at noon. He definitely didn't appreciate it, not now that it was starting to get chilly. It was a wonder Vex survived living in Canada with how easily he got cold. He strode quickly up until the path became heavily spotted with puddles. Normally he'd walk straight through them, but Vex had overheard some pretty nasty things about them, so he thought it prudent to step around them. It was this increased attention to his surroundings that allowed him to notice a figure behind him. The young woman moved casually along, as if she was just out for a stroll, but now that he thought about it, he remembered seeing her on several occasions on the street, far too many for simple change to explain. Could she be following him? Bad decision on her part. He decided to make sure. Vex would be turning on to Main Street soon, and he didn't fancy that as a place to get his answers. When he turned the corner, he picked up his pace to duck into an alley before she had the chance to turn the corner after him. Vex waited there, leaning against the alley wall, for her to approach. When she did, it was clear she was looking for him, all bright, darting eyes and distinctive blonde locks. With a wave of his hand, he had the girl stumbling haphazardly into his alley tripping a little ways past him so that when he straightened up from the wall, he was between her and Main Street. Vex released control of her body for the time being but kept his left hand raised and ready. He had yet to succeed in using his right for mesmer, which greatly concerned him and caused him to favor his left considerably. "You though’ I wouldn' notice you followin?" he asked, almost incredulously. "Piss-poor job of it too." Vex's next line of questioning would be why she did it, but he would get to that in a moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goldilocks frowned, her eyes narrowing a bit. However it was that she had lost him, she had to admit it was a slick move. He had spotted her and known he was being followed. He was used to the city and streets, but Goldi wished they were in the forest which she was more accustomed to and thus would serve more to her advantage. Why he had suspected her of following him, she had no idea. She hadn't given herself away had she? Until now, she had always kept a good distance between them. Her eyes skimmed the streets, a number of shops he might have ducked into. The cars parked alongside the curb, the rooftops? The alley–! Her realization came to slow, as she suddenly stumbled forward, running to keep from falling to the pavement. She tripped and nearly ran into the wall of the alley, spinning around. Her eyes blinked rapidly, had he dragged her in? She never felt him touch her, yet he tripped her. He must have tripped her. Goldilocks raised her hands in the air in a gesture of surrender and alarm. "Whoa... whoa... whoa...", she said with a stunned look on her face. "What are you doing, pulling young girls into a dark alley, mister?", she said, a look of accusation on her young and innocent face. She was short, just a few inches over five feet, with brilliant golden curls that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were large, a golden hazel color, her skin smooth like cream. She looked fresh and young, her cheeks flushed with the cold. She was girlish in figure, with rounded shoulders, and light, slender gloved hands. "Following?", she repeated, looking at him with a slightly shocked expression.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vex didn't buy her shock and confusion for a moment. It wasn't that she was a bad actress, nor even that she was bad at inconspicuous trailing, but after centuries dealing with this stuff, always having to look over his shoulder, Vex was good at this kind of thing. He had almost a sixth sense when it came to survival and evading people who were after him, so he was very confident that he was right when he mesmered the girl into the alley and leveled this accusation at her. He supposed she was the perfect candidate for the job, too. With her young, innocent appearance, who would ever think she was up to something nefarious, or that out of the two of them she was the one stalking </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "Gett’ing answers, ideally." He replied with a shrug, clearly not affected by her act. She was trying to make him second-guess himself, to think he might have made a mistake in accusing her, but he knew better. As a member of the Fae, Vex knew well not to judge character or power by appearance. "Yes, followin’, and I'm a fair bit experienced in the field so can we skip the act?" he requested. "Who put you up to this?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goldilocks looked puzzled, as if she didn't understand him for a long moment. There was a look in his eyes, the confidence in his smile, it wasn't going to work. He knew, he just did. How he knew, she couldn't figure out, he just did. She let her hands drop to her sides, and her eyes narrowed, "Nobody... </span>
  <em>
    <span>put me up to it</span>
  </em>
  <span>...", she said flatly. "You're a stranger, you're new." Her eyes roamed over him, glistening with curiosity and suspicion. "You're like nothing I've ever seen...", she said, her voice trailing off, her tone vague. "Where are you from? What are you doing here? You and the blonde? She your girlfriend?", she asked, tilting her head to the side, and peering at him as if trying to see the answers through a fog. "This is my town... and nothing goes on, that I don't know. I know everything, I see everything from the shadows... and nobody pays attention to me...", she said, almost as if trying to sound intimidating, "I'm just one of the shadows... A lot goes on in the shadows...", she said, tilting her head the other way, "...things people don't know.", she said stepping nimbly to the side. "Things people wanna know... things people...", she lowered her voice, "...don't want to know.", she said, raising an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vex hadn't been totally sure that his earnest request to be serious and straightforward would work, but he was quite glad when he began to see her realize that she wasn't fooling anyone and finally drop the whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>innocent little girl</span>
  </em>
  <span> act. Now, they could discuss her actions and motivations for them like rational adults. His major concern was that this girl was working under someone that wished him ill like the Una Mens or the Dark Fae. She responded fairly quickly to that question, though he wasn't quite sure he could believe that. Besides, following that, her response was little short of manic. She looked him over like he was some sort of exotic animal in a zoo and proceeded to fire off questions at an unreasonable rate. Her head tilted from side to side as she looked at him, like she was some kind of bird or confused dog. Then she went off on a tangent about her omnipotence and shadows and Vex could do nothing but watch with incredulity. Was she serious about all that. "All those questions, seems to me like there's a lot you don' know." he pointed out reasonably. Her quick step to the side caught his attention, and he supposed that if she was planning to make a break for it, now was a better time than ever to see if she knew anything more than she was letting on. Vex flexed the fingers of his left hand, taking control of her body and making her step backwards, pressing her back against the wall behind her roughly. He kept his hand raised, keeping her still as he strolled around to stand in front of her. "So you expec’ me to believe you were following me just because I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>new</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" he questioned, as if it was ridiculous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Goldi's jean clad legs crossed one another as she stepped lightly to the side. She never took her eyes off of the man, her gaze something almost feral. Then it happened, something hit her. No, not hit her, something came over her. For the briefest instant, it was like a thousand sparks on her legs swarming up her body, and the next thing she knew she was against the alley wall. Her back against the bricks, being held by some unseen force. Not magic, she had been thrown around by magic enough to recognize it when it happened. This was something different, something so very very different. She was flattened against the wall by her own body, as if she were possessed by some spirit or demon. Goldilocks gasped and her eyes widened, as she tried to lunge forward against the power. Nothing. It was no good, not at all. Her own legs and arms betrayed her, keeping her pinned to the wall. Her boots scuffed a bit on the dirty pavement, her fingers twitching as she contorted like a rag doll in the wind. It took her some time to even notice that he was holding her with the faintest flex of his fingers. Her eyes rested on his hand, her chest rising and falling with exertion. "What magic is this?", she asked, her voice low, without the mocking quality it held before. "I follow everybody. Ask anyone. I'm always prowling about...", she told him in response to his question, lifting her chin stubbornly. She betrayed very little fear, more shock and bewilderment than fear. Her eyes were still filled with wonder, as she turned her gaze to her limbs and body, trying to move them, and finding they no longer obeyed her commands but another's.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vex hadn't been sure that her step to the side had been the beginning of a bid for escape or not, but he believed in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>better safe than sorry</span>
  </em>
  <span> saying. Now, pinned to the wall, under his control, she wasn't going anywhere until he was done with her–until he was satisfied that she was working alone and that she would think twice about following him in the future. Not to mention, it was always fun to mesmer someone like this, to see the fear and confusion on their face as they struggled against his control, trying in vain to move muscles that he had in a vice. For a moment he worried that she would only be demanding to know more about his mesmer instead of answering the question at hand, but it seemed that this woman knew what was good for her after he made it clear he was serious. "Something else you don't know about.", was all he gave in explanation as far as his mesmer went, still waiting for her to address his question. As this went on, he felt the steady stream of her energy as he fed off her, just as she'd feel herself growing weaker. "Well, if that's the case, I'd kindly sugges’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> followin’ me or the blonde," he told her, thrusting his hand forward a bit so her head jerked back against the wall, though he was careful not to bash her too hard. "And if that's not the case, feel free to tell whoever you're workin’ with that I don' like being followed. And I am not above shootin’ the messenger." he finished. Vex stepped back, waving his hand toward the ground so she'd throw herself there as he paced off, intent on some disappointing coffee with some privacy for once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The magic in the girl was far more powerful than one would assume. It was a rush of strong magical power, and Goldi's eyes closed for a moment, feeling the power draining from her. No sooner had he fed off her life source, than it was replenished by a powerful golden wave of magic. The source of her life was intense and dark, far more imposing than her slight girlish figure. It was dark, powerful, dense, and surging, flowing out of her and into Vex. The man's eyes were dark and held a look beyond his years. His hair tumbled over his face, as he threatened her, warning her to never follow him or the blonde woman again. Goldi started to open her mouth to retort something back, but he gave her head a sharp rap against the bricks. She let out a groan, and shook her head, her eyes glaring at him painfully. With a simple wave of his hand, he cast her to her knees in the alley, releasing his control. Goldi started to rise, but fell again, rubbing her arms and legs, trying to recover. What was that? What was he? She raised a hand to her head, rubbing the sore spot, and getting to her feet. </span>
  <span>With a short stumble, she was on her feet, and creeping to the corner of the alleyway. He was walking down the street, long legs taking brisk strides. Goldi's face scrunched up into a scowl, before she slipped out of the alley following after him, but at a good distance. After the pain and initial shock of the event had passed, her expression grew vacant and reflective. After a moment, her lips curved up into a smile. At least now, she had found something to distract herself from her personal crumbling reality. Something to sort out, a puzzle, a mystery–and it would please Rumplestiltskin too. She had some news to relay to him about this mysterious stranger’s powers. </span>
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